Today's news

PUSHING FOR SUCCESS: Pinellas assistant superintendent Barbara Hires is in charge of the school district's new Success Zone, a mini-district formed to place added focus on bringing the lowest performing schools up. (Times photo, Martha Rial)

CASES CONNECTED: It's hard to rewrite this one better than Ron Matus' lead, so here it is - "In a surprise twist, the indictment of a former Florida A&M University official on federal theft and fraud charges this week is directly tied to the legal case of a woman who claims the state Department of Education discriminated against her because she's an evangelical Christian." More here.

RAISE TUITION: A St. Petersburg Times poll shows that - unlike the folks leading the state - Florida voters support a tuition hike at the state's public universities. Visit the Gradebook at 8:30 a.m. for full results.

MORE TAX REFORM: Fresh off passage of Amendment 1, Florida lawmakers are back at work trying to make further tax changes, including some that would affect education and schools, the Palm Beach Post reports.

STAY HOME: Tight budgets prompt UF and FSU to cancel their Capitol Days, when supporters and student usually pour into Tallahassee for a "celebration" of the universities, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

TRICKLE DOWN: Florida Atlantic University looks forward to gaining top students who have been denied admission to from UF and FSU because of their tighter admission standards, the Palm Beach Post reports.

GOOD, GO THERE INSTEAD: UF makes plans to reduce the number of transfer students it will accept, the Gainesville Sun reports.

SPREAD IT AROUND: The Manatee district plans to reassign staff rather than hire new when vacancies arise as part of its belt tightening, the Bradenton Herald reports.

OUTPACING GROWTH: The Bright Futures scholarship program is spending money faster than its revenue source is growing, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon for an interview with Jay Labov of the National Academy of Sciences for a discussion about Florida's new science standard, the scientific theory of evolution.

About the blog

Gradebook features education articles and insights on schools in Florida, focusing on Tampa Bay area schools. What's the latest from the Florida Department of Education? How is the FCAT being used to compare Florida schools? What's going on in Tampa Bay schools? Get an insider's view from the Times education reporting team.